COMMUTER ACFT HAS ENG PROB ON APCH. TWR CALLS CFR.

Narrative

AFTER CLRNC FOR VISUAL RWY 35 PHL; AROUND 1000 FT AGL; A RUMBLING NOISE STARTED. WE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT IT WAS AND CONTINUED. AN OIL LIGHT CAME ON AND WE HAD TEMP INDICATIONS TO BACK IT UP. WE WERE LOSING OUR L ENG WITHIN 500 FT OF THE GND. WE CONTINUED. AS WE WERE BUSY ON THE APCH; WE MISSED A CALL FROM TWR TELLING US HE SAW MUCH SMOKE TRAILING OUR ACFT; BA 3201 JETSTREAM. WE LANDED WITH A WINDMILLING L PROP. WE ROLLED TO THE END OF THE RWY AND TAXIED CLR. TWR HAD CALLED FOR THE FIRE TRUCKS WHO WERE ON THE WAY. WE SHOT OUR FIRE BOTTLES; SHUT DOWN THE OTHER ENG; AND BEGAN TO EVAC. THE FIRE CREWS SHOT HALON INTO THE L ENG AND SAID THE FIRE WAS OUT. WE DEPLANED ALL THE PAX DOWN THE STAIRS. NO ONE WAS HURT. NO FARS BROKEN. THE FAA DIDN'T WANT STATEMENTS; NOTHING. IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT A BEARING BROKE AND METAL WAS BEING INGESTED BY THE L ENG WHICH CAUSED THE FAILURE. WE WERE AT A VERY LOW PWR SETTING WHEN THIS HAPPENED. WE HAVE PRACTICED MANY ENG FAILURES AT V1 AND AFTER TKOF; BUT THIS TIME WAS DIFFERENT. THE RWY WAS ASSURED; WE WERE IN A NORMAL DSCNT; HOWEVER; WE WERE LOSING AN ENG. THE PROPER PROC WAS NOT CRYSTAL CLR TO ME: 1) GO MISSED; RUN ENG FAILURE CHKLIST; CLEAN IT UP AND LAND; OR 2) LAND AND WORRY ABOUT CHKLISTS LATER. WE WERE HVY AND LOW AND CHOSE OPTION #2. I ASSUME THAT WAS THE CORRECT DECISION; IT WAS JUST ONE I'VE NEVER HAD TO MAKE BEFORE; NOR OTHER THAN THE CAPT; DID I HAVE ANY GUIDANCE OF WHAT TO DO. MAYBE IT SHOULD BE REQUIRED AS PART OF OUR TRAINING REQUISITES TO BE COVERED IN A SIMULATOR AT LEAST ONCE; JUST TO SHOW DIRECTION FOR SPLIT SECOND DECISION MAKING IN CRITICAL SITS. BOTH OF US DID A GOOD JOB; HOWEVER IT WAS A VERY UNCOMFORTABLE SIT.